Thursday, March 22, 2007

Skye Dani 

I have a new niece! Skye Dani. I am really looking forward to meeting her. Her birthday is 16 March.
// posted by Deanne @ 22:23
(2) comments |

A Brain Without Sight Is Like... A Different Brain 

ABC Radio National's All in the Mind with Natasha Mitchell is airing 'The Blind Brain: Part 1 of 2' on Saturday 24 March at 1pm, with a repeat on Monday 26 March, also at 1pm:


People born blind experience their 'seeing' mind in different ways, and
are helping scientists challenge the dogma of a brain rigidly hard-wired
for vision.


Yay for re-wiring!
// posted by Deanne @ 22:06
(0) comments |

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Sun Burst 

I'm heading off to work early to avoid the heat but I still set out to buy my lunch each day. I like to get out of the air-conditioned building and I feel an unexpected relief when I go out into the open, even though it reached 42C here in Perth today. I wandered outside to eat a nectarine for afternoon tea today and walked up to the park to sit on a bench under a tree. In heat like this, I notice the difference in temperature as I move from the minimal shelter at the entrance to our building to the concrete ramp in full sun and with a brick wall to the side and then to the shade of trees in the park. Same air, no direct sun and less reflected heat. Vegetation makes it possible to sit outside.

[An aside: If I worked in the City of Melville, I could have splashed under the sprinklers at lunchtime yesterday. I think this is my favourite PerthNorg post so far - disbelief! Oh my God!]

I'd expect the heat to zap me, but today I had more energy than is required to sit down at a computer and kept wanting to get up and do something. I left early because I arrived early and at the train station I stood up and walked around. At home I cooked myself pasta and ate two bowls of it - isn't this low-fuss salad weather? I hung my washing out at 7pm and brought it in again dry at 9pm. What's going on?

I think it's wearing a skirt just above the knees that might do it, and a t-shirt. I felt like a school girl waiting for the bus this morning. Yay! I'm free! Doesn't life have possibilities? Yay, I'm wearing s skirt!

Today I also imagined what it might be like to live somewhere hot by the beach, where I could relax and live the Holiday Life. Weird, because it's hot here and I live kinda close to the beach. And if I leave early, it's almost like I am on holiday. Yay, the possibilities. :-)
// posted by Deanne @ 21:20
(1) comments |

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

So What Do You Do? 

Today I met Kath Mazzella on the outside steps of the building where I work. Kath's the founder of GAIN, the Gynaecological Awareness and Information Network. We chatted as we walked up the tree-lined street in the heat, Kath filling me in on the reluctance of many people to discuss gynaecological health - cancers especially.

Cervical cancer and the HPV virus (for which there is now a vaccine) and ovarian cancer are conditions I've read about, and which I hope to avoid with regular medical checks and healthy-ish living.

I've never considered the other types of gynaecological cancer, such as vulval cancer, which can lead to the removal of a woman's clitoris.

That's right, no one wants to talk about it! So until now there's been little support for women who do go through life-changing operations like these.

The GAIN Web site is friendly and informative - even cute, in just the right measure. Kath's passionate about raising awareness, preventing gynaecological disease and helping women, and she's willing to talk!

If you or your community group would like to know more, visit the Gynaecological Awareness and Information Network and make contact.
// posted by Deanne @ 20:56
(3) comments |

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Tell Me 

Yesterday I interviewed representatives from Surf Life Saving WA (which is hosting the Australian National Surf Life Saving Championships this month), the Australian Red Cross Blood Service and the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway for Consumer Voice, Blind Citizens WA's audio magazine.

We record Consumer Voice at Curtin FM and this was my first go. Although I took a few radio units at uni, I haven't talked into a microphone (or attempted to place headphones over my curly hair) in a very long time. I thought this would be a good opportunity to refresh. I love chatting to people but I so wish I could sound natural. Will working on it help? Aaggh!

Although I expected to learn more about interviewing, I actually learnt more about how to be interviewed. Two of my interviewees, both professional, gave informative answers that happened to lead into my other questions. Both gave facts that surprised me.

I could have done a better job with my remaining interviewee - I can think of one more question that might have lead somewhere - but perhaps some people have a story to tell and others either don't have one, or aren't motivated to tell it.

I think I'd have a hard time believing that listeners would be interested in my stories. I guess you have to trust that if they've asked, then they'd like to hear what you have to say.
// posted by Deanne @ 20:31
(2) comments |

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